Radiator cap



March 26, 1935. B, yH, BOWLUS ET AL 1,995,468

RADIATOR CAP Filed sept. e, 1952 Patented Mar. V26, 1935 V RADIATOR CAI Benamin H. Bowlus and John G. I {ickma1`1, De y 4 troit, Mich., assignors to Ternstedt Manufacturing CompanDetroit, `Mch., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationA september s, 1932, serialjNq. 6313er A5 claims. (c1. zzo-40) Our invention relates to radiator caps for closi ing the upper ends of the necks, pipes or passages through which water is supplied to the radif ators of automobiles; and the object thereof is to provide a radiator cap having an improved resil- Y ient gasket construction whereby tightness is more Veiiectively secured between the cap and the supply opening and a better sealing results than has heretofore been usual in radiator cap constructions, and one wherein the resilientgasket Lis protected so that the cooling liquid within` the radiator is prevented from coming into contact therewith.

The drawing herewith illustrates the preferred form of our'invention, and the particular features wherein the same consists are pointed out in the concluding claims. Our invention, however, may be embodied in other forms and the same includes such obvious lvariationsand modifications of the particular form illustrated as come within the scope of the concluding claims.'

Referring to the drawing;

Figure 1 is a view showing Yourirnproved radiator cap in section, vand in placeupon the upper end of a neck or short conduit leading into a radiator, notshown. Y Y

Figure 2 is a similar View showing `the cap rate from the lling` conduit. i A Y Figure 3 is a viewlooking into the inside of the cap illustrated in Figures l and 2.

v VFigure 4 is a sectional view showing a modified ormrofgour improved radiator cap.

Figure 5 is a sectional view like Figure 1, but showing our improved radiatorcap modified as tosome of its'details; Y t c Figure 6 isa view showing the inside4 of the form of our invention illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view showing an` element of this form of our invention in perspective.

Figure 8 is a sectional viewshowing afurthe `form of our invention in which the yieldable ring member thereof is differently arranged than in the forms thereof illustrated in Figures l to 7.

Y Figure 9 is a view similar to'Figure 7 but showsepa- /ing an element of the form illustrated in Figure 4,

Our invention has as its principal part a'vmain body member 10 inFiguresl to4, andll in Figures 5 and `ythe same being a shallow cup-like metallic member made generally by Vwell known die casting methods; the periphery thereof having adepending annular flange .12 and 13 which gives to it itscup-shape form.

Continuing now-with the description ofy Figures 1 to 3,'the head of the part 10 is provided with an annular recess or groove 14 in its Yinner face and within which' there lies a gasket shown'` as,

in the form of an annular resilientgand yieldable ringmember 15, which may bemade' of rubber,

the ring being either solid as'shown, or hollowif.. greater yieldability is required? The head` isy shown as havingalso ais'econd annularrecessl, f

but this is for the purpose of saving metal and securing lightness in the body casting. I

The body castingV 10 has a central boss with af v flat lower face 1 7, and a depending squ'are'part 18; and the numeral 19 designates a disc'made, ordinarily, of indurated ber and which has a square centralhole fitting about `the square part 18, so-that it cannot turn relative-to the-cap' as the cap is put into place and rotatedto'lockit onto theupper end of the Iilling conduit orfneck 20 which the cap is designedto' close. The pe"- ripheryof this disccontacts'with the underside of the ring 15 and seals the same from the liquid within the radiator or,'as otherwise expressed, prevents the liquid from coming intov contact with the ring. When the cap is ofthe neck the periphery of the disc rests lightly against the ring,vbut

when the cap is locked in place on therradiator lling inlet the ring is flattened andv compressed as indicated in Figure 1. Y' "i" Located below the fiberor equivalent material discV 19 is a circular cup-shaped locking member 421 wherebyv the cap is held in placeupon the up'- per end of the lling neck'20. V'Ihismember.isordinarily made from sheet metal pressed and shaped to give Vit substantially thev form shown, and has oppositely disposed holding lugs 22 `prov jecting from opposite sides of its lower end. The locking member 21 also hasaY square hole fitting about thesquare part 18 to restrain it from turning; and thel said member'and the fiber disc 19V are/fastened tofthe body part 10 in any'suitable manner such, vfor example, las by a screw 23,a

Ylock washer "f24 bei ng ordinarily placed between ing aA flat upper face 25 which pres-ses against the vunderside of the fiber discl 19 when the ,cap is in place upon the neck, as shown in Figurel.v This neck as is usual has oppositely disposed internal inclinedlugs 26, and vertical slots 27 also oppositely located although only one is shown; so that inputting the caplin place the lugs 22 pass down through the slots, andthe cap is then rotated to secure a wedging action between the lugs 22 and thelower edges of the lugs 26.- Although the con-` duit or neck 20 is-shown asa thin tube having its Vupper end turned: inward 'and' over toV form ,the

face 25 and lugs 26, our invention is in no way concerned with the neck so long as it has elements and features which provide the flat part,

as a guide to position the cap as a whole uponv the upper end of the iilling conduit 201with a fair degree of deniteness, even though the two parts do not fit closely together.Vv Initiallyand before the cap is put in place thevdisclS is substantially flat, and the yieldable r'esilientring 15 or gasket is uncompressed, as indicated in Figure 2; but the putting of ther vcap inplaceupon 'the neck 20, and the turning of it to lock itin place as hereinbefore explained, deflects the periphery of the, disc andattens thegrubber ring 15 substantiallyias indicated in Figure 1. ever;r is not accompanied by a rubbing action of `a metal part likev the surface 25,` againstv the rubber because Vthegdise as well as the locking memberlrotate with the body part 10 during the locking ofthe cap-,inplacey'and such water or other lcooling medium as mayrsplash Aup between the tiallythe same as' in Figures` 1 to 3, as is alsol the rubberring 15vand` the ber disc 19; This form, Yhoweveryhas an internal depending boss 28 liawingfasquare shoulder 29 at its lower end; andthe locking member 30, while in the form of an integral pressed metalpartfas in `Figures 1 to 3, has a central neck 31 which fits closely about the boss 28; and the peripherythereof is substantially cylindricaljin'form, as indicated at32, which; periphery nts within the upper end of the filling conduit and forms a somewhat more eifective guide for positioning the cap relative to the filling conduit of fthe radiator. The locking member has a square hole 33 Vwhich nts about the square shoulder 29, and integral lugs 34 at its Tower end likethe lugs 22; andthe parts are held together by a screw 35 or by equivalent means as in the form of our invention'rst described, as will be understood. l

' In the form of our invention illustrated inFigures 5to '7 a gasket ring 36 ofrectangularcross section takes the place of the circular packing ring 15 and inasmuch as this ring fits closely in a correspondingly shaped channel in'the head of .the body l1, there is less spaceto accommodate yielding and distortion of this yieldable member than in the forms hereinbeforedescribed.A Y Additional yielding is therefore provided by an element the equivalentof the lugs 22 and 34 and Which is itself' yieldable.

This action, how'- ber 38 theA periphery of which engages theber disc 37 to hold it in place, and which member is provided with a transverse recess 39 in its underside. Lying within this recess is a transverse resilient bar member 40 which extends beyond the periphery of the member 38, and the ends of which formlugs like the lugs 22 and 3,4 of the forms of our invention first. described. This bar member, being yielding and resilient in itself,

therefore adds its eiect to that of the ring 36 and provides a total yielding of the parts during the A,securing of the cap on the neck 20 to approximately thesame extent as in the forms of our vinvention rst described, wherein the yielding Vand resilient effect is due entirely to the rubber ring 15.v

lIn this form the member 38 has a square hole 41 whichengages a square abutment 42 to prevent rotation. between the parts, and the transverse recess 39 causes the bar 40 to rotate with the .body 11 as will be understood The parts are held together by a screw 43 andwasher 44 as in the-forms of our invention first described, the arrangement of the-'parts being such that the periphery ofthe member 38 presses iirmly against ther-underside of the disc 37 to hold it in place as indicated inv Figure 5. The lug and slot arrangement of the neck 20are the same inall yforms of our invention, as will be understood.

The yieldable rubber or equivalent ring member insteadV of lying within a groove provided for it in the underside of the body member maylie in f the corner between the body member and the annular flange at the periphery thereof, as illustrated in Figure -wherein 45is the body member, 46 the flange, 47 the ringmember and 48 an indurated fiber disc the peripheryof which contacts with the ring member as in the other forms of our invention. In this form the flange 46-is intended to fit-'closely about the outside of the upper end of the lling'neck. to thereby guide the cap; and the same is held in place by a transverse bar 49 the ends of which provide lugs for engaging lugs inside the neck `as in the other formsv of our invention. The barts about a de.- pending4 boss 50, and is made to rotate with the cap by a member 51-having a pin and slot connection therewith at 57; said member 51 having a hole which engagesa square shoulder 52 at the lower end of the boss `50. A tubular washer 53 surrounds the boss and the several parts are held together by a screw 54 which enters a threaded Ypassage in'the boss 50 in substantially the same manner as in the other forms of ourinvention hereinbefore described.

Having thus described and explained our invention we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: y Y A 1. In-a radiator cap of the class described, a body'part having a head provided with an annuvlar `groove in its inner face; a yieldable resilient ring member within and lling said groove; a sealing disc within the cap and beneath, and the peripheryof which contacts with said ring; a locking member beneath said disc and abutting against 'the underside thereof; oppositelyV disposed lugs associated with said locking VrnemberandY vadapted to engage lugs at the upper end of a radiator filling conduiti' and means for holding said parts together.

2. In a radiator cap of the class described; a body part having a head provided with an annu- Ylar groove in its inner face, rand a central boss having a square part at its'lower end; a yieldable resilient-ring member. within and illingA said groove; a sealing disc within the cap and beneath,

and the periphery of which contacts with lsaid ring; a cup-shaped pressed metal locking member beneath said disc and acting to hold said disc in place, said locking member having a square hole for receiving the square part of the boss aforesaid; oppositely disposed lugs associated with said locking member and adapted to engage lugs at the upper end of a radiator lling conduit; and means for holding said parts together.

3. In a radiator cap of the class described, a body part having a head provided with an annular groove in its inner face, a central boss having a flat lower face, and a driving part below said at lower face; a yieldable resilient ring member within and lling said groove; a disc within the cap and beneath, and the periphery of which contacts with said ring, and the central part of which disc has a hole for receiving the driving part of said boss and bears against the flat face aforesaid; a cup-shaped pressed metal locking member beneath said disc and abutting against the underside thereof, and having a hole for receiving the driving part of the boss aforesaid; oppositely disposed lugs formed integrally with said locking member and located at the lower end thereof; and a screw extending into a threaded passage in said centrally arranged boss for holding said parts together. Y

4. In a radiator cap of the class described, a

Y body part having a head provided with an annular groove in its inner face, and a central boss having a threaded passage; a yieldable resilient ring member within and filling said groove; a disc within the cap and beneath, and the periphery of `which contacts with said ring; a cupshaped pressed metal locking member beneath said disc and abutting therewith, to thereby hold said disc in place; oppositely disposed lugs adjacent the lower end of said locking member and formed integrally therewith; and a screw extending into the threaded passage in the bossv afore- .I

said for holding said parts together. Y

5. In a raidator cap of the class described, a

body part having a depending flange; a resilient` member has a transversely extending recessin Y its underside; a resilient bar lying within said recess and extending beyond the periphery of said locking member to thereby provide lugs adapted to engage lugs at the upper end of a radiator lling conduit; and a screw extending into the threaded passage in the boss aforesaid for holdl ing said parts together.

BENJAMIN I-I. BOWLUS. JOHN G. I-IICKMAN. 

